17-year-old arrested after threat made to Benton, IL school

Benton Consolidated High School was closed Friday, Sept. 4 after a threat was made to the school.

"Our students, faculty and staff's safety is our top priority," according to a post on the school's website.

BENTON, IL (KFVS) -

A 17-year-old was arrested after a threat made toward students and staff at Benton Consolidated High School caused the school to close Friday.

A handwritten note was found at the school Thursday, according to the Benton Police Department. Police also found a threat had been made online.

A 17-year-old was arrested and accused of disorderly conduct for threats against a school, a felony.

An issue that Superintendent Aaron Mattox says he will have zero tolerance for.

"We take it very seriously and we’re going to work with the local law enforcement to make sure the individual who committed this crime is going to be brought to justice and punished to the full extent of the law," Mattox said.

School officials called off classes at the high school and elementary school on Friday as police investigated.

The school's website called the matter a "building safety concern."

"Our students, faculty and staff's safety is our top priority," according to a post on the school's website.

Mattox says this is a very serious issue and moving forward, he says he wants both students and parents to know that safety is on the top of their priority list.

“We’re going to make sure they have a safe place to go to school and we take these types of threats very seriously," Mattox explained. "And again we’re going to make sure this individual that made these threat will be brought to justice and will have zero tolerance for that top of behavior here.”

The Kentucky Emergency Management (KYEM) will activate the State Emergency Operations Center in Frankfort and a Regional Response Coordination Center in Hopkinsville, Kentucky for the August 21st solar eclipse.

The Kentucky Emergency Management (KYEM) will activate the State Emergency Operations Center in Frankfort and a Regional Response Coordination Center in Hopkinsville, Kentucky for the August 21st solar eclipse.